


You either die the hero or live long enough to become the villian

by TheScarlettShadows, walrusmaterial (orphan_account)



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/M, Gen, evil AU!, fenras, orthax - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-20
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-09-01 03:37:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8605774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheScarlettShadows/pseuds/TheScarlettShadows, https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/walrusmaterial
Summary: How many years had it been? How many winters had they spent together? How many summers had they seen? They could remember nothing but love and darkness and mystery. A kiss in a snowing forest, a near death (had he died, had she?), a fear of mortality that they remembered as though nothing but a nightmare. ---
“I broke the world for you.”





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Critical Role Reverse Bang 2016.
> 
> Artwork by walrusmaterial

How many years had it been? How many winters had they spent together? How many summers had they seen? They could remember nothing but love and darkness and mystery. A kiss in a snowing forest, a near death (had he died, had she?), a fear of mortality that they remembered as though nothing but a nightmare.

 

\----

 

 

“I broke the **_world_** for you.”

 

 

\----

 

They don’t remember the source of their power. The gun and the bow, the mask and the feathers. Sometimes their history swims into memory, but often they are as mysterious as their owners, always at their side.

Sometimes, Vex swears she can see a shadow moving behind Percival, cast in the wrong direction, towards the light, as though about to consume it. _Sometimes_ , she can hear it laugh.

Sometimes, Percival looks back at the courtyard, at the slowly dying Sun Tree. He can’t remember how or why, but it weeps, a thick black blood that smells like rotting leaves. Sometimes, he swears that it used to be happy, but trees can’t be happy.

 

\----

 

The sky grows dark against the silhouette of Whitestone castle, and it grows grey as winter comes. But then it doesn’t lift, no matter the seasons that pass. Then they start losing time, longer and longer stretches, until Percival wakes up with shadows pooling in his sleeves and finds he can’t remember the past month.

He had lost time once before, in some hidden part of his past, but then Vex kisses him and he spends even more time working on his gun, and forgets it. He forgets that he ever remembered it. He forgets he ever lost it.

 

\----

 

They were the rulers of Whitestone, but they don’t see much of the townspeople any more. Ex might get a fancy and ride out into the town (that they rule), but the people rush back inside, cowering, pleading. This is the way it should ~~n’t~~ be. They had never praised her, never sung her songs of joy. ~~They had.~~

 

\----

 

All the portraits down the halls in the castle had been turned around. Percival was the last surviving De Rolo (he could never remember why. It didn’t matter.) and wanted to stay away from the memories. He remembered snow and blood and smoking guns. He remembered a young girl with a shock of white hair at her temple sitting with a pile of papers, far too young to be so responsible. So he turned the portraits around.

But Vex, she had a brother and a ~~son, dog, pet, bear~~ , _something_. How could she forget? But the brother, he looked like her, the same dark long hair and pointed jaw and blue grey eyes. Had he died? Why couldn’t she remember? Weren’t you supposed to remember the people that you loved? No, she only loved Percival. Only she knew it all, Percival Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III, only _she_ loved him.

 

\----

 

Once upon a time, the Sun Tree shimmered, a portal opening in its large trunk. They both remembered it, a sign of hope and _family_ and rescue. No, **no** , it was a sign of panic and fleeing and threat, and the couple made their way there immediately, a bow and gun drawn. Then out came a tall half-elf, fiery red hair tangled in a strange crown.

The two rushed towards her (Keyleth, their minds whispered, but they didn’t know her), and were struck in the chest with a protective barrier, a small gnome stepping around her side with his hands splayed (Scanlan, but who was he to them?). Feelings of loss and love _pulsed_ in their chests, but they only needed each other, could **only have each other**. These were strangers who threatened them.

 

“Vex, Percy, what are you doing?!” The lady shouted, her tone plaintive, and she looked up at them, despite being so much taller. Vex needed to protect her, wise and wild and so optimistic. This girl trusted them not to hurt her. Vex felt like she should laugh, or cry, or embrace this girl, or _tear_ out that bared throat with her own fingers.

 

“I don’t know who you are ma’am, but we don’t take too kindly to strangers appearing out of our tree.” Percy tried his hardest to keep his voice stable and controlled, but the hairs on the back of his neck told him that the gnome could see right through him. But the lady, she crumpled slightly, shoulder’s hunching, and the portal behind them snapped close. Why had his words affected her so?

 

The purple clothed gnome spoke, his voice filled with a natural gravitas (Percy bet that he could sing incredibly well. Maybe he would entertain during meals?). “They don’t know who we are Kiki. I told you that this would be pointless. They are as likely to kill us as they did the Briarwoods. It’s all the same to -”

 

The words blurred into a white noise as Percy stumbled backwards, free hand reaching up to clutch his forehead. There were no _Briarwoods_ , there was no memory, only this hollow gap of pain and **vengeance** and promises to shadows and monsters and darkness that swirled around in his own brain, trying to beat its way out.

 

Vex immediately stepped infront of him, bow raised as she considered them. “The short one is right. We will kill you if you do anything out of place, and considering how you manage to incapacitate my husband, you might want to keep that shield up a bit longer. But where are your others?”

 

Because there should be others. Her male half-elf who looked like her, another gnome, a hulking goliath, sometimes a tiefling and a human with strange eyes and a wizard in blue and a halfling paladin, and these names and faces passed infront of her eyes until she was dizzy. But it was like water, or fog, and her mind couldn’t focus on any of them. Fenthras grew warm in her hands, humming slightly, as though itching to release an arrow. It was one of Percy’s specialties, the exploding kind.

 

Then Percy’s hand was a warm comfort on her shoulder and she stilled, letting those strange images float out of her mind, it was **just the two of them** , the two of them in this strange cold world with people who never bothered to listen to her.

 

Suddenly, the red head looked around, eyes tracking the courtyard, searching for something. “Where’s Trinket? He would remember us, and then you can remember, and then everything will be alright!” But the gnome patted her knee and shook his head. “The beast of a bear is probably dead now. But half a century later and Percy’s still looking good.”

 

And Vex remembered a bear, white fur and coarse tongue and love, and burying him in the snow, under a grey headstone. And she cried and pleaded and stood, resolute in her desire that she would never lose Percy in the same way. And Fenthras had hummed under her fingers like this, and she had promised …

 

Vex muttered a counter charm under her breath, the purple shield winking away as she struck the gnome in the shoulder, arrow head imbedding itself in the joint before it exploded. The two were thrown apart, and a chunk of his shoulder was gone, leaving the arm barely attached.

 

But the two also shouted spells and turned into a hawk and a fly, the fly reaching the hawk and settling in its back as they started to fly back towards the tree. The same portal appeared and Percy shot into it as the two disappeared, a scream of pain resonating out before it closed again, leaving the two shaken and worried at what they had left had just cast out of their city.

 

 

\----

 

 

A winter, and another winter, and it seems like their clock ticked by in terms of the cold and darkness. Not even a roaring fire could take the chill from her bones, from her heart. Only Percy’s touch was enough (That was a lie, only Fenthras thrumming would do it, but he needed blood, he needed battle, he needed _pain_ , and Vex just needed Percy).

 

 

\----

 

 

Then, one day, the Sun Tree shimmered, a portal opening in its large trunk. Hope , family, memory, panic, threat, and the couple made their way there immediately, a bow and gun drawn. Then out came a tall half-elf, fiery red hair tangled in a strange crown. Did they once know her name? Life was falling away, slipping out between their fingers. Only each other, they were the only stable, the only constant.

 

She came out with a purple shield in place, a female gnome with a burning sun emblazoned on her armour, another male with purple robes. And a male half-elf that looked just like her, long dark hair pinned out of his face and a feathered cloak.

 

Percy moved to stand infront of her, sensing her distress, but it seemed as though the three also saw it. These people were dangerous, they had killed dragons, but they made no move against them.

 

Tension thrummed through the air, but Percy coughed, the polite version that befitted his station and lowered his gun. “State your names and business for Castle Whitestone.”

They all flinched, but the purple gnome, who coughed in an eerie imitation of his own and announced “Scanlan Shorthalt, dragon slayer, leader of Vox Machina, Saviour of Taldo’rei. This is Keyleth, Headmaster of the Air Ashari, Saviour of Taldo’rei, member of Vox Machina. Pike Trickfoot, cleric of Sarenrae, dragon slayer, Saviour of Taldo’rei, member of Vox Machina. Vax’ildan, leader of the Clasp of Emon, Saviour of Taldo’rei, member of Vox Machina. And I’m sure you know, Percival Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III, ruler of Whitestone, Saviour of Tal’dorei, member of Vox Machina. And Vex’halia, dragon slayer, ruler of Whitestone, Saviour of Tal’dorei, member of Vox Machina.”

 

And Percy couldn’t move, couldn’t react as names and places were called out. Vox Machina? It tasted like ash and death in his mouth, pain and panic as his core shifted out of place, two Percy’s trying to exist within the same space. How could someone other than Vex say his entire name, recite titles he had never (never?) had. “And what is your business?”

 

The lady elf, ~~Keyleth~~ , but he couldn’t keep hold of their names, responded.

“We are here to save you.”

And Percy started to laugh, small giggles that seemed to come out of nowhere. Everyone looked at him strangely, even Vex, but that did nothing to slow him down. The shadows in the sleeve of his coat started to writhe, spreading onto the ground despite the lack of overhead sun. The bark on the Sun Tree started to split, black beads sticking and rolling down the trunk.

 

Vex clenched her fists around her bow and tried to hold back tears. Was this her brother, her twin, her family? Why was she here and not with him? When she looked at Percy, all she felt was fear, a knowledge that he wasn’t him anymore.

 

But then Fenthras hummed in her hands and that feeling went away. This was the man that she loved, not the imposter behind the shield. So she spat on the ground and whispered a counter-charm to the shield and fired an arrow, but the lady was ready and they were already falling back through the portal, and Vex cursed and grabbed hold of Percy and they cried, arms wrapped around each other as they stood in the town square.

 

\----

 

Vex swore that they had bricked off the path to the acid pits, but the door was swinging open. She shrugged and closed it, before walking off.

 

\----

 

Rumours of missing people started to filter in through the castle servants. Right arms being found strewn in sewage and the mountains. The name Vecna passed through her halls once, but everyone clammed up when Vex went to ask them about it. No one wanted to talk to her anymore. No one but Percy.

 

\----

 

One night, Percy slid into bed. His feet were cold and he smelt like gunpowder, but those were now the norm. No, he had bits of green stone under a nail, and a bit of an acid burn on a shirt tail. It was just one of his sleep walks, but something unnerved her. She turned over and went back to sleep, and didn’t notice it in the morning.

 

\----

 

Vex appeared at dinner, with leaves in her hair, face rosy and flushed, but her eyes were glazed over. Percy pulled the leaves from her braid and waited for her to return to normal, ignoring the stench of death that surrounded her.

 

\----

 

Then, one day, the Sun Tree shimmered, a portal opening in its large trunk. They didn’t recognise it, but the couple made their way there immediately, a bow and gun drawn. Out came a tall half-elf, fiery red hair tangled in a strange crown. She came out with a purple shield in place, with a white one behind that. Behind her came a goliath, sharp black tattoos marking his skin, but this was an old goliath, amazing that he had survived for so long. On each of his shoulders was a gnome, one dressed in purple robes and the other in white plate armour. Next to the half elf was another, his face so similar to hers, but starting to be lined with age.

 

The male gnome spoke first, “We are Vox Machina, dragon slayers and king killers, saviours of Tal’dorei, and we are here to prevent the uprising of Vecna.”

 

Vex and Percy looked at each other in confusion. What was a Vecna, and why were these strangers here? Percy spoke first, turning to look at the group. The word _family_ spun through his head, but he didn’t recognise them. They meant nothing to him. “What is the uprising of Vecna? Whitestone is well regulated and we haven’t heard of a coup, though we are glad for your concern.”

 

The red head choked, turning her head to bury it in the feathered cloak’s shoulder. The feeling that he should be the one comforting her slowly began to build in him, and he lowered his gun.

 

“Vecna is an evil lich, not a bird call. But if you have no birds here, that is also worrying.” The goliath spoke, his voice a low rumble that comforted Percy, and Vex lowered her bow.

Her clear tones echoed out over the courtyard, “We also have no evil lich, so you can leave now.”

 

The male half elf (he looked too much like Vex, the same eyes and jaw and stubborn look and Percival wanted to throw up) sighed, stepping out through the shields. He muttered the words ‘Jenga’ as he went, but no one smiled. Were they supposed to smile? It meant danger, but sometimes it was funny. Why did Percy know that?

 

“Underneath the castle, you have a temple built to Vecna. People are dying, their left eyes and arms used as sacrifices. We never did get rid of the black orb, and I don’t know how people know the rest of the ritual, but somebody is trying to resurrect the lich. And sister, we only want to help.” He looked to Vex as he said that, but her eyes glazed over and suddenly Percy’s gun had gone off and the half-elf had an arrow in his thigh and a bullet wound in his ribs.

 

But incantations were said and suddenly Percy was unable to move, and the party walked towards him, before a heavy weight hit the back of his head.

 

\----

 

Percy woke to the familiar feeling of his mask on his face, a gun in both hands, and he was shooting. Shooting at the party who had _dared_ invade his home, threaten his love. They were at the ziggurat, holding their place at the main wall. They had long since removed the magical barrier, finding the iron etching under the flagons, but still the orb floated.

 

And the four of them, gods they were strong. No matter how many shots Percy took, the goliath kept on going, 20ft tall, and the two ~~good~~ bad half-elves had disappeared. Chanting discordant music filled his ears and daggers came out of the shadows, two of them imbedded in his side. The earth held him place, and he sunk until he was practically waist deep, unable to move as he was attacked.

 

Then the shadows around him gathered, building up the wall until it rivalled the goliath’s height, before it stepped away from the wall. All the party’s fire started to concentrate on the shadow figure, and Percy took advantage of this to resume his efforts to protect his wife. The walls began leaking the black sap, the roots of the Sun Tree having pierced through the roof years ago.

 

One root tangled the taller half-elf, before dropping her as the root turned green and blossomed where they touched. Instead, it went for the other half-elf, grappling him in place. But he threw a dagger into Vex, the point digging into her stomach. The half elf turned to smoke and moved to her, pulling the dagger out and casting a, casting a healing spell?

 

But then he had her neck exposed and a dagger at her vein, and Percy had no doubt he knew how to kill her in a single movement, no matter how painless it might be. “STOP! Stop, or she dies!” His eyes were firm, but his hand was shaking slightly, and a faint line of red appeared at the edge of the blade. Percy immediately stilled, dropping his rifle, and the shadow creature also stopped.

 

But then it began to laugh, hoarse grating laughter that echoed around the room. “You wouldn’t kill your sister, would you Vax? You’re too nice for that. But she, she doesn’t remember you, and _well_.”

 

And Vex turned and twisted Vax’s arm to stab himself in the gut. He gurgled, a bit of blood spilling out of the side of his mouth, and she stabbed down once, **_twice_** , driving into his torso.

 

She raised the blade once more, ready to end his life forever, but her hand stilled, and the blade clattered to the floor. Tears were streaming out, and she didn’t know why, but her heart hurt, it _ached_ like she was sawing at it herself. “I can’t, **Percy** _, I can’t kill him_.”

 

Celestial spun through the air, a calming sound, and the gnome on the goliath’s shoulder sang out (Percy had once sung it with her, they had saved a boy’s life) and the wound’s on the half-elf closed up. And Vex hugged him as the wounds began knitting together, and Percy’s lips tightened. Vex was his and they were alone together, and no-one would take that from him.

 

He picked up the large rifle and aimed down the sights. The shadows gathered at his trigger finger as he breathed once, twice, then pulled. His shoulder took the impact as the boy collapsed to the floor, and wouldn’t be rising. No-one else was allowed into Whitestone. No-one was allowed to pull them apart.

 

\----

 

Percival blinked and he was inside the ziggurat. The body pieces were on the wall, but they were supposed to be there. He had put them there. He felt himself choke on bile at the smell and sight, but he rushed forwards, up the steps and towards the black orb. He started chanting, dark words tripping over themselves as he recited words Percy didn’t remember memorising.

 

But the doors were flung open and the shadows had melted back into the floor. Vex was running towards him, Fenthras broken on the floor and he hugged her, glad to be reunited for this task. Her hands cupped his chin and she kissed him. While Percy enjoyed it, the chant had stopped and there was a rumbling in the floor. She moved away and as he began casting again, she held him in her arms and cast Greater Restoration.

 

Suddenly, Percy was aware that his guns were missing from his belt and his mask wasn’t around his neck, and he had them before Vex had gotten onto the platform. “Betray-?” His words cut off as the effects of the spell washed over him, and he collapsed to his knees as memories flooded into his head. And he could see it.

 

He could see the black tar like thread that lead to the door of the temple, he could see the sickness and the hurt that came from it, the chains it wrapped around his entire self. But he had done it for Vex, for **them**! Percy threw up then, over the side of the raised platform, darkness filtering back into his mind. But this time he fought, and he stumbled out to the door of the temple.

 

He looked out and pointed at the guns that Scanlan (his name was Scanlan and he had a daughter named Kaylie and they once had a flute battle and he was a damn good bard and ) was rushing away. “Dump those in the acid now. And, if someone can spare it, can I have another Greater Restoration?”

 

Pike (gnome Pike, who loved a mystery and loved her God and was the greatest kindest healer who spread the healing love of second chances) nodded and rushed over. She placed her hands over his eyes as the shadows tried to gather again crying out, and she slowly tore apart the thread that held his soul. And it was free and Percy suddenly started to cry, feeling a lightness to his soul that hadn’t existed for the past century.

 

Then she turned and raised her arms and pointed at the shadows. And uttered a word. It seemed shaped by the very magic in the world, and the shadow writhed, disintegrating as they watch, slowly fading back into its own world.

 

\----

 

Scanlan returned, dusting his hands pointedly, before rushing over the Vax where everyone else had gathered. Pike had laid her hands on his body, and Percy was hanging back, still in the shadows. Vex and Keyleth were both crying, each holding a hand. Grog was a steady figure at the head, and a soft white light began to glow from Pike’s hands.

 

But before anyone could offer anything, Percy started to sing. Soft celestial, and Pike turned in surprise before turning back and concentrating, a soft smile on her face. She joined in, healing tunes mixed with each other. Scanlan was tempted to stay out, but the pull of music was too strong, and he started to play on his flute. The three tunes twisted and mingled, settling over them like a warm blanket.

 

As this went on, Keyleth pulled out a golden, small and slender, but with gorgeous etching along the sides, ring, wrapping his limp hand around it. “You know, I was going to propose. You spent so long waiting, dallying, that I thought I was going to have to take the initiative. But then you did, and I still have this ring, the one I was going to propose to you with. So I will ask you now. Will you live with me?”

 

Then Vex pulled the little clasp of blue feathers from her hair and brushed them into her brother's. (She had a brother and she nearly killed him). “I just found you again. You cannot leave me, you selfish bastard, you-” Her voice broke and she took a deep breath in before continuing, “You cannot leave me now.”

 

And that was all that was needed. The wounds knit together, and his chest started to move, slow breaths leading to his eyes flickering open. The two half-elves started to cry harder, both reaching down to hug him. Percy stopped singing, a jarring halt that caused the other two to leave it as well.

 

Scanlan started to laugh, and one by one they all joined in, hollow laughter that stole the breath from your lungs as you rejoiced being alive. They were _alive_. They were **_together_**. And for now, that’s all they needed.

 


End file.
